Redding Record Searchlight reporter Janet O’Neill and photographer Andreas Furhmann spent some time with Lunch Buddies Mitch Brehm and Nakaobi this week and produced a wonderful story in today’s paper. Read it here.
Redding Record Searchlight Features Our Program!
February 4, 2010 by tehamamentoringNational Mentoring Month Celebrated at White House
January 29, 2010 by tehamamentoringOur President and First Lady have created a White House mentoring program and are spreading the word about the importance of youth development through mentoring relationships. Learn more here
It’s National Mentoring Month!
January 20, 2010 by tehamamentoringFrom President Barack Obama to Governor Schwarzenegger to the Tehama County Board of Supervisors to the Mayors of Red Bluff and Corning, the nation’s leaders are proclaiming January National Mentoring Month. These proclamations highlight our appreciation of youth mentors and sound the call to more Americans to become involved in the process. In Tehama County, proclamations have been made at a Board of Supervisors meeting as well as at the city halls of Red Bluff and Corning. We appreciate the support of our local leaders!
Join us for an evening of Big fun!
January 4, 2010 by tehamamentoring
Golden Bell Rings for TCMP!
December 9, 2009 by tehamamentoring
Charles Allen, Melissa Mendonca, Amy Henderson and Larry Champion accept the Golden Bell Award at the CSBA annual conference in San Diego December 5, 2009.
The Tehama County Mentoring Program was one of three Tehama County Department of Education programs to come home with a prestigious Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association on December 5, 2009. The award, presented in San Diego during the CSBA annual conference, promotes excellence in education by recognizing outstanding programs in school districts and county offices of education throughout California.
This year, nearly 200 entries in 19 Golden Bell categories were received. Experts from school districts and county offices of education comprised the 19 member judging panel. The Tehama County Mentoring Program staff met three times with a CSBA representative who verified the application. The Mentoring Program competed in the category of Partnerships and Collaborations.
The Golden Bell was accepted on behalf of the Tehama County Mentoring Program by Tehama County Superintendent Larry Champion and Tehama County Mentoring Program Coordinator Melissa Mendonca. Assistant Superintendent Charles Allen and Student Support Services Director Amy Henderson were also in attendance.
“This award is accepted on behalf of the many mentors and mentees who comprise our program and make it the success that it is,” said Mendonca. “Our mentors are giving selflessly of their time and knowledge to ensure the next generation is meeting its potential. Our mentees are helping us adults learn how to grow and develop a more inclusive community that truly values youth.”
Two other Tehama County Department of Education programs, LitFest and SERRF After School Program, also received Golden Bell Awards. In the words of a Golden Bell Award presenter, “Wow! Tehama County really cleaned house this year!”
A Note of Thanks from the Coordinator
November 23, 2009 by tehamamentoringAt times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.
Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within.
—-Albert Schweitzer
In this season of Thanksgiving, I extend my sincerest gratitude to all who make our program so successful. Thank you to the mentors who give so selflessly of time and energy to truly get to know our mentees and help bring out the best in them, shining light towards brighter futures. Thank you to the young people for whom this program was developed. We learn more from you than you realize! In reaching out to you, we learn more about ourselves. In listening to your hopes and dreams, we reflect on and grow our own.
To the community of Tehama County from whom we have received so much support in the form of time, money, creativity, volunteer hours, direction and encouragement: We couldn’t do it without you! 
While I am the “face” and voice of the Tehama County Mentoring Program, I am certainly not doing this alone! The program receives the support of a talented group of professionals in Student Support Services at the Tehama County Department of Education. My thanks to Talia, Dianne, Suzanne, Tina, Jo, Denise, Yuliana and our fearless leader, Amy. Thank you to our superintendents Larry and Charles for creating a positive environment to do our work.
Creating Mentoring Relationships that Last
November 12, 2009 by tehamamentoringMentoring is effective for youth development when it is done consistently over time. The Tehama County Mentoring Program is structured through guidance from the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring, a rigorously researched handbook utilized by mentoring programs throughout the country.
Here are some suggestions from the handbook for creating lasting, effective mentoring relationships:
• Maintain a steady presence in the mentee’s life. That means showing up for scheduled meetings or, when that is not possible, telling the mentee inadvance, in order to avoid any disappointment. A phone call, e-mail or fax can help when a face-to-face meeting isn’t possible.
• Focus on the mentee’s needs––not the mentor’s own wants and needs. Mentors should look to improve the mentee’s prospects while respecting the young person’s life circumstances and perspective. This includes not trying to transform the mentee or impose the mentor’s own values on the mentee.
• Pay attention to the mentee’s need for fun. 
• Get to know the mentee’s family without getting over involved. Mentors need to understand that they are not substitutes for parents.
• Seek out and use the help and support of mentoring program staff.
By contrast, less effective mentors:
• Do not meet regularly with the mentee;
• Adopt an authoritative tone;
• Put more emphasis on changing the mentee’s behavior than on developing a warm relationship based on trust and respect; and
• Try to transform the mentee by imposing a set of values inconsistent with the mentee’s life circumstances.
Join Mentoring in Support of PAL and Summer Reading
October 28, 2009 by tehamamentoring
Rotary Cooks it Up for Mentoring!
October 14, 2009 by tehamamentoring
Rotarian Dennis Garton accepts a thank you certificate from Mentor Coordinator Melissa Mendonca at a Red Bluff Rotary Club meeting on October 13, 2009.
Rotarians Mike Methard, Roy Gould, Tex Ash, Will Murphy, Tom Amundson, Earnie Graham and Dennis Garton join Melissa in celebrating a successful breakfast at the fairgrounds.
The Red Bluff Rotary Club is a great supporter of the Mentoring Program, providing kitchen help every year for our Monster Pancake Breakfast. Members live the Rotary motto of “service above self” by arriving before dawn each year to fire up the griddle and mix up pancake batter.
They run the kitchen like a well-oiled machine, allowing Mentoring staff and volunteers to greet the public and showcase the program to patrons in the dining room. We are grateful for their help.
PAL Loves Pancakes…and Mentoring!
September 28, 2009 by tehamamentoring
Several members of the Tehama County Police Activities League Board of Directors gathered today with two mentees in the Tehama County Mentoring Program to promote the upcoming Monster Pancake Breakfast on October 3, 2009 from 8-11am at the Tehama District Fairgrounds. All proceeds support the Tehama County Mentoring Program.
Pictured here are: Danny Rabalais of the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office, Chief Paul Nanfito of Red Bluff Police Dept, Melissa Mendonca, Mentoring Coordinator, Lt. Kyle Sanders and Officer Mike Coley of the Red Bluff Police Dept. Front are mentees Jake and Owen Onopa.
Mentoring is widely recognized by law enforcement as a positive youth development actvity that supports a caring, safe community.
